2003 Quetta mosque bombing
| 2003 Quetta mosque bombing | |
|---|---|
 Map of Quetta | |
| Location | Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan |
| Date | 4 July 2003 (Pakistan Standard Time) |
Attack type | Suicide bombing, mass shooting, grenade attack |
| Weapons | Hand grenades, explosive belt, guns |
| Deaths | 53 |
| Injured | at least 65 |
| Perpetrators | Lashkar-e-Jhangvi |
| Part of a series on |
| Hazaras |
|---|
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|
 WikiProject Category  Commons |
On 4 July 2003, 53 Hazara Shias were killed and at least 65 others were injured when the mosque was attacked during the Friday prayer in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan.[1][2] When hundreds of worshipers were offering Friday prayer, three armed men entered the Asna Ashari Hazara Imambargah and started shooting, threw hand grenades and one suicide bomber blew himself up - which left 53 dead and tens of others injured.[1][3] It was second major sectarian attack on Quetta's Hazaras after the massacre of police cadets.[when?] It was the start of the series of killings of Hazaras in Quetta.
Bombing
On 4 July 2003, hundreds of worshippers were practicing Friday prayer in Asna Ashri Hazara Imambargah Kalan mosque. Five men armed with automatic weapons[4] entered the mosque and fired on worshippers for ten continuous minutes and tried to throw a grenade, but it exploded in his hand. Worshippers disarmed one of the attackers and killed a third one. The other two attackers ran away from the roof. This attack left more 65 dead and tens of others injured.[5]
Perpetrators
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), a banned terrorist group, was responsible for the attack on the mosque. After investigations, intelligence agencies found a video compact disc in which two people are shown who claimed their people attacked the mosque and they were going to meet them in paradise.[6]
Response
- Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan at the time, cut short his 18-day trip to America and Europe. He was in a news conference in Paris when he heard the news.[7][8] On his return to Islamabad, he said:[9]
Whether they are religious extremists or sectarian extremists they are ignorant and wild.
- In response, police in Quetta arrested around 19 culprits who were found to be involved in the attack.[1]
See also
- Persecution of Hazara people
- 2004 Quetta Ashura massacre
- 2011 Mastung bus shooting
- September 2010 Quetta bombing
- 2011 Hazara Town shooting
- 2019 Ghotki riots
References
- ^ a b c "19 arrested after attack on mosque". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 July 2003.
- ^ AFP, Quetta (2003-07-05). "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 4 Num 39". Thedailystar.net. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
- ^ AFP, Quetta (2003-07-05). "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 4 Num 39". Thedailystar.net. Retrieved 2012-05-03.
- ^ "Sectarian Terror In Quetta". Retrieved 2019-06-19.
- ^ McGirk, Tim (2003-07-07). "A Prayer Before Dying". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
- ^ "Daily Times". Daily Times. Retrieved 2019-06-19.
- ^ http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?220701
- ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,463128,00.html
- ^ http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?220701
- 2003 murders in Pakistan
- 2003 mass shootings
- 2003 murders in Asia
- 2000s mass shootings in Asia
- 21st century in Quetta
- 21st-century mass murder in Pakistan
- Attacks on buildings and structures in 2003
- Attacks on buildings and structures in Quetta
- Mosque bombings in Asia
- Attacks on religious buildings and structures in Pakistan
- Attacks on Shiite mosques
- Mosque bombings by Islamists
- Islamic terrorist incidents in 2003
- July 2003 crimes
- July 2003 events in Asia
- Lashkar-e-Jhangvi attacks
- Mass murder in 2003
- Mass murder in Quetta
- Mass shootings in Pakistan
- Massacres in religious buildings and structures
- Persecution of Hazara people
- Suicide bombings in 2003
- Suicide bombings in Quetta
- Terrorist incidents in Pakistan in 2003
- Violence against Shia Muslims in Pakistan
- Building bombings in Pakistan